Other Sites

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Shoo Shoo

When it comes to parenting, I've learned that "if at first you don'tsucceed, try, try, try, try, try, try again." In other words, bepersistent. We've had to plumb the depths of this truism in gettingJada to clean her room. Every morning, stuffed animals and books arestrewn all over the floor and bed; and every morning, we lead her backinto her room and ask her to "shoo shoo" (Taiwanese for "put away")her stuffed animals and books.

When we first committed to forcing her to do this before she could doanything else in the morning, I think I had to walk her back to herroom four times, and even then I would stay in there and help her putthings away. Then, it took three times, and then two times, and nowI'm happy to say that the last few mornings, I've led her back to herroom once, and when she returns to see me and we go back into herroom, everything's been put away. I, of course, lavish praise on her;although I'm holding out for the day she decides to put everythingaway and then come see me for the first time in the morning.